


I've Never Been in Love Before

by MercyBuckets



Series: Mercy's Shadowhunters AU Mondays [5]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Actor Magnus Bane, Aldertree is a Bad Director, Alec Lightwood Needs A Hug, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Background Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Background Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago, Companionable Snark, Drama, First Meetings, Gen, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Maryse Lightwood Being An Asshole, No one messes with Maia, Or a Nap, Raj Broke his Ankle Under Mysterious Circumstances, Simon doesn't know when to shut up, Stage Manager Alec, tech crew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 19:14:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10748055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercyBuckets/pseuds/MercyBuckets
Summary: A stage manager’s job is never done. Alec Lightwood is knee deep in tech week for the show from hell. The director is an asshole, the production team is falling apart and the co-lead managed to up and break his ankle. With obstacles at every turn— his mother keeps trying to set him up with a nice girl, his siblings can’t behave for two minutes, the understudy is mysteriously missing and Alec keeps hitting his head on the new set piece— will he ever manage to start rehearsal; and more importantly, will he find his fucking flashlight?





	I've Never Been in Love Before

**Author's Note:**

> Is this a finished one-shot? From me? For Shadowhunters AU Monday? I'm just as surprised as you are, lol. 
> 
> This theatre au is *loosely* based on my own experiences as a stage manager (ect.) over the past 7 years.  
> And yes, I did have a director decided to include a completely random 'table dancing/crowdsurfing' scene in a play set in the 40s about WW2. It was ... something. 
> 
> The title is from Guys and Dolls. 
> 
> That should be it. Also if you're interested, I'm hoping to have a Be My Mirror update up over the weekend.

 

Alec Lightwood swore under his breath as he hit his head on the new door frame for the third time in the past half hour. 

‘Lights, is this really necessary!’ he snapped in the general direction of the booth. 

‘Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning Lightwood,’ Raphael said. ‘Take it up with Maia. She’s tweaking projection shit.’ 

‘I wouldn’t if you value your life,’ Simon chimed in. 

Alec took a deep breath and reminded himself that it was important to stay calm, even if Raf was asking to get slapped, especially if Raf was asking to get slapped. ‘If either of you is the person who took my flashlight, there will be blood.’

‘While Raf is basically a vampire so ...’ Simon heard Alec’s stomping get closer because he stopped. ‘Shutting up now.’

‘Dios,’ said Raphael. Alec couldn’t see them but he knew the other boy was rolling his eyes. ‘I never thought you were brilliant but poking Lightwood on a bad day? At least Maia will kill you quick.’

Alec whipped the door of the booth open to glare at both of them. ‘If you have so much downtime, you can go check headsets.’

Simon who was draped over Raphael like a particularly clingy cape looked like he wanted to complain but he kept his mouth shut when he saw Alec’s face. 

Alec bent over the speaker as Raf and Simon reluctantly went to do as they were told. ‘30 minutes to warm up,’ he said and after a beat added. ‘And if anyone has my flashlight, you have until the next check in to return it.’

‘Thank you 30,’ said Jace, his voice crackling over the speaker. ‘And why anyone would bother taking your crappy flashlight is a mystery to me.’ 

Alec resisted the urge to drop everything and go to the dressing room just to punch his brother in the face. Instead he slipped his own headset on.

‘-- Seriously Raf, it’s not like any of us  _ pushed _ Raj down the stairs,’ Simon was saying. 

‘Not that he wouldn’t have deserved it with they way he was acting,’ said Raphael.

‘I can hear you loud and clear,’ said Alec relishing the way Simon swore. ‘And I’d appreciate it if we could avoid speaking of Raj tonight.  _ Is that clear _ ?’

‘I didn’t mean— well I did but— Raj is an asshole— but no. I mean yeah,’ Simon fumbled

‘Crystal,’ said Raphael cutting his boyfriend off. 

‘Good,’ said Alec. ‘I’m going to check on Maia. I’ll see you in the booth.’

He slipped his headset off, coiled it up and headed downstairs. Clary was sweeping. Behind here, the projection screen flickered with grainy images of buildings, casting a dim light over the stage. When she saw him, she waved him over sheepishly. 

‘I know you have a lot on your plate,’ she started. 

Alec sighed. ‘Just get to it,’ he said trying not to sound too impatient. 

‘Lydia told me a few minutes ago that Aldertree wants the red glasses tonight but we’re two short ...’

‘Of course we are,’ muttered Alec. ‘Does Meliorn know?’

‘Umm ... that’s part of the problem,’ said Clary. ‘When I told him, he said, and I quote ‘I will not help that man contribute further to the visual atrocity that is this show’. So I wasn’t sure what to do.’ 

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘I’ll deal with it.’ 

‘Thanks Alec,’ said Clary. ‘You’re a great stage manager, you know.’ 

Alec almost sighed at her transparent attempt to improve his bad mood. ‘If you see my flashlight let me know.’ 

‘Will do,’ she said. ‘I’m gonna give them the 15 minute warning when I finish this. Oh, and Izzy is looking for R-Raj’s replacement if you see him. Something about shoes I think.’

Alec nodded curtly and continued on his quest to find Maia. This time he was prepared for the door frame and managed to duck underneath it only to whack his knee on a table that hadn’t been there a minute ago. 

‘Fuck,’ snapped Maia from somewhere in front of him. 

‘The feeling is mutual believe me,’ said Alec rubbing his knee. ‘Why are the lights off if you aren’t doing projection?’

Maia growled. ‘I  _ am _ doing projection,’ she said. ‘But Lydia just informed me that Aldertree wants Jace and whoever-the-fuck Raj’s replacement is to  _ dance _ on this table and I need to reinforce it unless you want more broken bones.’

Alec’s headache intensified. ‘I’ll send Meliorn up to take care of it,’ he assured. ‘You get back to projection because warm ups are in 15 and we’re going to need lights.’

‘Then there’s a good chance you won’t have projection,’ said Maia rounding on him, drill in one hand, the other adjusting her bandana. 

‘Do what you can,’ said Alec. ‘Lydia and I will deal with Aldertree.’

Maia waved a hand at him dismissively which he took to mean that she needed to work and he headed down the back steps to the prop shop, where Meliorn was frowning at two lamps that looked pretty much identical, at least to Alec. 

‘15 minutes to warm up,’ Clary’s voice came over the intercom. 

‘What’s the story with the red glasses?’ asked Alec speaking loud to make himself heard over Jace’s response. 

‘Red?’ said Meliorn without looking up. ‘With that table cloth?’

Alec reminded himself to breathe.

‘We both know he won’t admit it looks like shit until he’s see it,’ said Alec. He’d always found it was better not to beat around the bush, especially with Meliorn. 

‘We are still two short,’ said Meliorn sounding sulky. ‘How was I supposed to know he would ‘fall in love’ with the rehearsal glasses?’

Alec groaned silently. ‘Great, hopefully he’ll hate them tonight and that will be the end of it.’

Meliorn didn’t say anything. 

‘But on the off chance he doesn’t, please have back ups or something ready, regardless of how bad they may look,’ said Alec. ‘And do you have a flashlight I could use?’

Meliorn made a noncommittal grunt. ‘I lent mine to your sister last week and I’ve yet to get it back.’

‘Naturally,’ said Alec. ‘Can you go help Maia? She’s reinforcing some table and she needs to work on the projections.’

He left without waiting for an answer because it hadn’t really been a question at all. 

Alec then encountered Lydia hovering just outside the prop shop door. 

‘I’ve heard you’re in a mood today,’ she said mildly. 

Alec glared at her without much heat. ‘Speaking of moods ...’ 

Lydia sighed. ‘Aldertree is fit to be tied. He seems to have decided that the best way to reassert control over the show is to change his mind about everything.’ 

‘And include a table dancing scene,’ added Alec. ‘When is that even supposed to happen?’

‘I’m pretty sure it’s scene three,’ said Lydia wincing. 

‘After the funeral scene?’ asked Alec gaping at her. ‘In ... the bar?’

Lydia nodded. 

‘Jace must be having a field day,’ said Alec. ‘He hasn’t exactly been playing the scene in that tone.’

‘You might want to say something to him actually,’ said Lydia. ‘He threatened to walk out. It was ... heated.’

‘Will this day ever fucking end?’ said Alec more to himself than anything else. 

‘Happy tech week to you too,’ said Lydia. ‘I’ll see you upstairs.’ 

‘Oh, Meliorn says they actually don’t have enough red glasses, so two will be clear tonight just to give you a heads up.’

Lydia groaned. ‘Have Clary put them at the back, maybe he won’t notice.’

‘If only we were that lucky,’ said Alec. ‘Catch you on the flipside.’

Lydia nodded and headed upstairs. Alec continued on. He could hear raised voices in the hall before he rounded the corner to the dressing room and he wasn’t particularly surprised to see Izzy and Jace facing off in the hallway.

‘-- And then there’s stupid,’ Izzy said heatedly. 

‘Is this about the Raj thing or the Aldertree thing?’ asked Jace not looking particularly cowed. 

‘You’re gonna end up suspended or something,’ said Izzy. ‘Which is stupid because they aren’t fucking worth it dumbass!’

‘Now what?’ snapped Alec interrupting his siblings before things could escalate any further. 

‘Izzy thinks I should let Aldertree walk all over me,’ said Jace. 

‘Raj made a complaint against Jace,’ said Izzy speaking over him. 

‘Aldertree literally tried to blackmail me,’ said Jace. 

‘So Jace told him that Lydia would be a better director anyway,’ said Izzy. ‘And Aldertree decided to bring you into it—’ 

Alec glared at both of them. ‘What is with you two? It is  _ tech week _ and this has been the show from  _ hell _ ! I do not need this bullshit on top of everything else.’ 

They both looked at him startled if not altogether ashamed. 

‘Aldertree is the director now, not Lydia, and I know we all hate him but it is what it is and what he says goes,’ said Alec taking advantage of the stunned silence. ‘Now will you please go back to doing whatever it is you’re actually supposed to be doing. Warm ups are in 10 and I need to find a fucking flashlight.’ 

His siblings gaped at him as he pushed past them into the dressing room where Lily was doing Aline’s hair while Helen zipped her up. On the other side of the room, Gretel and Alric were having a heated discussion in hushed tones. Alec ignored all of them and they wisely ignored him as well. 

‘Alec wait, do you know Raj’s—’ 

Alec cut Izzy off. ‘The next person to say his name is going to be mopping the stage until closing night!’

Everyone glanced up, saw his face, and then quickly pretended to be engrossed in something else. 

‘I was going to ask if you knew his replacement’s shoe size,’ said Izzy glaring. ‘He was here but I was tracking down a missing hat and no one thought to get his size because ... they don’t know what they’re doing? I don’t know.’

Alec deflated. ‘No, I have it in the bus book though. I’ll send Clary down with it after warm ups start.’

Izzy ruffled his hair. ‘We’re here for you big brother,’ she said. 

‘Even when you’re a dick,’ added Jace. 

Izzy punched his shoulder and Alec left with a trace of a smile on his face. 

His good mood evaporated when he emerged into the theatre, projections still flickering ominously across the back of the stage to find Aldertree and his mother in the centre aisle. 

‘Alec,’ said Maryse with the same faintly irritated tone that someone might say ‘it’s raining’. 

‘Mother,’ said Alec trying not to sound too irritated himself. ‘Can I help you with something? I should really be getting up to the booth.’ 

‘I was just telling your mother how sure I was that you would help Raj’s replacement get ... adjusted,’ said Aldertree somehow making it manage to sound both mild and insulting. 

Alec bristled but he knew better than to show it. 

‘Of course,’ he said smoothly. ‘Even after Raj’s a-accident it’s important to make sure the show still goes on.’

‘Ah yes,’ said Maryse. ‘The  _ accident _ . I’m sure there will be no more ... unfortunate interpersonal misunderstandings. Your father and I expect you to behave professionally Alec, even if you insist on hiding up in the booth.’

‘Yes, Mother,’ said Alec looking away. He hated the way that she always knew what buttons to push to make him feel the worst. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure that Clary has everything in place for tonight's run.’ 

‘Clary is a nice girl,’ said Maryse and Alec gritted his teeth. She turned to Aldertree, ‘Don’t you think Clary is a nice girl?’

Alec blushed and cut in before Aldertree could say anything. ‘Mother, Clary is a very nice girl  _ who is interested in my brother _ .’ 

‘I’m just saying Alec,’ said Maryse. ‘She’s a nice girl. You know who else is nice? That Branwell girl.’

‘Lydia has a boyfriend, Mother,’ said Alec. ‘I need to go. Warm ups are about to start.’

When neither Aldertree nor Maryse moved, Alec rolled his eyes and went around them, stepping over seats. 

Even though he was running behind, he stopped in the stairwell on the way to the booth. Everything was just ... too much. He needed a minute. He needed his mother to take her ‘girlfriend’ talk and go away. He needed his _fucking_ _flashlight_. 

He ran his hands over his face twice and pulled himself together. He was about to head to the booth when someone cleared their throat. 

‘What do you want?’ he snapped before he could stop himself. Could he not just have two seconds?

‘Are you Alexander Lightwood?’

He looked up. The person he had snapped at was not in fact Simon or Clary but a young Asian man with floppy hair and a purple shirt. Over that, he was wearing an ill-fitting suit jacket that Alec recognised as having belonged to— he-who-must-not-be-named.  _ Shit _ . 

‘You must be Magnus Bane,’ said Alec wincing. ‘Sorry things have been ...’

‘I see that,’ said Magnus. ‘I’ve gather the ... departure of my predecessor was, at the risk of being cliche, rather dramatic.’

‘You could say that,’ said Alec weakly. ‘Can I help you with something? You should probably be downstairs. Warm ups are starting any minute.’

‘I was actually looking for you,’ said Magnus, who, Alec had noticed, had really nice eyes. 

‘Oh really,’ he said trying not to get caught staring. ‘What do you need?’

Magnus dug into the pocket of the robe and pulled out Alec’s flashlight. ‘This was in my garment bag,’ he explained. 

Alec stared. ‘I could kiss you right now. Not that I would— not that kissing is bad— but it wouldn't be appropriate— I mean ... umm.’

Magnus took pity on him, smirking. ‘At least take me on date first.’

Alec stared. ‘What?’

‘I’m asking you on a date, pretty boy,’ said Magnus. ‘And you’re hopefully saying yes.’ 

Alec opened and closed his mouth a few times but no sound came out. 

‘Unless I misjusged the situation,’ said Magnus quickly. 

‘No, no,’ said Alec quickly. ‘I’d— It would be, umm ... magic— I mean great, yes?’ 

‘Okay then Alexander,’ said Magnus

‘2 minutes to warm up,’ rang out Clary’s voice through the intercom. 

‘I guess we’ll have to talk about our date later,’ said Magnus. 

Alec nodded dumbly wondering what have possessed him to say yes. His mother was going to blow a gasket. She was determined to pretend like he had never come out at all, as if that would somehow ‘fix’ him. But ... Magnus was ...  _ magical  _ and Alec felt a tiny thrill in the pit of his stomach. 

‘Hey Magnus?’ he said turning back down the stairs. 

Magnus stopped at the bottom and looked back up at him expectantly. 

‘Break a leg!’   
  
  



End file.
